Letter: Why add tech to highway?

I’m writing to alert all taxpaying citizens that our taxes are slated to pay $17.5 dollars in “Blue Tooth” accessible signs along the Massachusetts highways. Gov. Patrick has already signed the bill.

These signs are intended to give “Blue Tooth (smart phone and GPS) users” an accurate time frame from their current location to their destination. The belief is these signs may even cut down on road rage. I believe this information can be already obtained through an available free app. These signs are totally useless to the many of us without these high tech devices.

Reduce road rage? Don’t believe it.

It takes approximately four hours to travel from the furthest points of Massachusetts. Can we no longer travel using our own common sense that there could be construction and traffic delays? Most motorists have cell phones to alert family, friends and coworkers of any delays they encounter.

I am first concerned about the environmental impact of making and installing these signs and also the “eyesore” these will create taking from the natural beauty along our roadways.

Much of this $17.5 million is federal (tax money). Could we instead have used this money to pay toward our national debt, or could we have used this to create affordable housing, educational programs for teenage parents, elderly services, drug intervention programs?

I would support this money going toward just about any social service agency rather than these signs.